Telephonic paging system.



N. A. KURMAN.

TELEPHONIC PAGING SYSTEM. APPLICATION man MAY 9. 191a.

LQSQ SQY Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

Ladies amvemto'l/ y XJM 3% I Z Z till NATHAN A. KUR'MAN, 0E OAKLAND, CALIFUMNIA, l llilfiltll lm t, il-31B.

MENTS, T0 HTTERNATIONAL CALLOIPHWIPNE CUWQEATIUN, or Q 1 A GORPORATIGN 0F DELAPWARE,

TELEPHQNIC PAGIHG' A T neaacoa,

Application filed May 9, 19153.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN A. KURMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephonic Paging Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a telephonic paging system and has as its principal object the provision of a telephonic system adapted to obviate the use of the usual page boys in hotels, clubs, and the like.

A second object is to produce a telephonic system whereby a given central or call system may communicate with aplurality of other stations comprised in the system, and having means whereby the operator at central can out out such stations as are not desired to communicate with.

A third object is to provide a telephonic system by means of which the person paged can reply to the call without leaving the room in which the call is heard by him.

A fourth object is to produce a system whereby the operator in the central station can, on getting into communication with the person paged, cut out all but one of the stations called and hold conversation direct with that station.

A final object is to produce an inexpensive but eiiicient system for the purpose de scribed, particular arrangement and combination of circuits and apparatus hereinafter described.

The accompanying" drawing represents my improved system by means of a complete diagram, the system being such as is adapted to hotels for use in the public rooms thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawtransmitters are preferably mounted within the horns of the reproducers, 9 and 10 rep-r.

[specification of Letters a' ctcnt.

serial no.

resent the transmitter spectively, for use at the and these instruments the ordinary and not type By means of the circui provided, and which will more in detail, the operator station may announce the son sought throughout the then hold communication n him. of the transmitting and r rroducinp; units to t inclusive, and :3 to inclusive, are con nected by suitable Wiring to corresponding; switch keys 13, l4, l5 and 16, respectively, in the exchange or operators root ,thcre beinn, wires 11*, 11", ll and 11 connecting one side of each of the reproducers 1., and i, respectively, with springs ll, Ill", It? and. 17 in the switches "l3, l/l, c spectively The or Josite side ducers l, 2, Wire 26 by means oi: wires 12, lit 12 respectively. lit will also be see one side of the transmitters 5, 6, Y and. o is connected to wires l8, 18*, 18 and 18, respectivcly, and that the Wires and 318 connect with the springs 19 and 19, respectively, which are s, parts of the switches 13, 14-, 15 and other sides of the tnnsrnittcrs 5, l), connect with the wires 20*, 20 20" and respectively, which connect in turn witl 5 springs 21, 21, 21 and 212 respectively, which are also parts of the switches 15 and 16, respectively. Each oft switches l8, l4, l5 and 16 is provided with a fourth spring 2:2, 22", 92 a-n respectively Each of the switcl l5 and lit is also orovided such as 28 to form electrical cm A, the spring" 22, and. each of said also provided with a pair of contacts such 2 and 25 mounted above and below, spectively, the spring 1?. Also a cated in connection with switch 15, or the said switches is provided with pa contacts such as 26 and 27 ino'untec and below, respectively, the s rir said switches are further pro. pair ct contacts such as those indi switch 16, namely contacts and 529, w are shown mounted above and below spectively, the spring 23,, Front the and receiver, central station 9 and 10 may be or of the loud speali'ing 55 it Jill be understood that the switches 13, 14, and 16 are identical with respect toarrangement of springs and contacts. It will also be seenlthat each switch'is pro-' theswitch ',13, the block 30 and the spring connected thereto, will be moved downwardly. 'Now it will be understoodfurther that all of the springs of each switch stand normallyin contact with the contacts above them so that if the lever 31 for anyswitch 'is operated,the, circuit of which spring 22 is a part is broken. while the remaining springs such as 17?, 19 zfllldfll break their circuit with a,contact suchas 24, 26 and 28 and form new circuits with contacts .such as 25, 27 and 29.

In addition I to the switches just described, I provide a fifth switch 33 having a-lever 34 which is adapted to be swung either up or down. The operating cam 35 of-the switch 33 is positioned between two insulating blocks 36and 37 which are carried by springs 38 and 39. Between the springs 38 and 39 are contacts 40 and 41, which are adapted to make circuit with the springs 38 and 39, respectively. It will be-understood that when the lever 34 is inthepositionshown in full lines the circuits controlled by springs 38 and 39 are both closed but when lever 34 is thrown into the position shown in dotted lines below the full position, the circuit controlledby springf38 is opened and if lever 34 is thrown up then the circuit controlledby 39 is opened. Referring again to the apparatus at the central station, it will be seen that I have shown a switchhook 42 connected directly to one side of the source of current 43. From the other side of the current source 43, a circuit is taken out which leads through the primary coil 44 ofan induction coil and then passes through the transmitter 9 to the switch contact 45. If,the receiver 10 is off of the hook, the transmitter circuit is connected as shown in the figure through contact 45 and hook 42. The secondary coil 46 which cooperates with the primary 44 is connected through a condenser 47 to the wire 126 which is connected to one side of all of the loud speaking rcceivers. The return circuit from the receiver to the other side of the secondary 46 may be completed in a plurality of ways as will be presently described.

Referring again to the apparatus at central station, it will be seen that I have provided a second contact 48 adapted to be con- .Jones if thatis his name.

the coil 46 'and the springs 22, 22 22 and the coil 49 which is, as will presently appear, in circuit with the transmitters 5, 6, 7 and 8, and consequently the secondary coir 50 which is connected in closed circuit with thereceiver 10 may receive voice currents which will be transformed by the receiver 10 into speech in the usual manner.

It now it is desired to page a person in all of the rooms provided with loud speaking receivers, the switches or keys 13, 14, 15 and 16 and 34 are allowed to remain in the position shown in the drawing in full lines. The central operator then removes the receiver 10 fromthe hook 42 whereby contacts .45 and48 are connected with the hook and the operator then proceeds to call Mr. I

The circuit being completed through the transmitter 9, the hook 42 and battery 43 and the prinary coil 44. in the way previously described, voice currents are generated in a and transmitted through wires 126,12 12 12 and .12 to each of the receivers 1, 2, 3 and 4. From thesemeceivers the circuit is completed through the wires 11, 11", 11 and 11" to the springs 17 ,17", a

17 and 17. In the case of switches or keys 13 and 14 the circuit leads from the spring 24 to the-wire' 51 and thence through the spring 39 andccontact .41 to the wire 52. In case of switcher key 1.6, the path of the current-is from the wire 11 through spring 17 contact 24, wire 53 to switch 33 by means of the spring 38 and Contact .40 to the wire 52. In the case of switch or key 15, however, the circuit .does not-leadto switch 33 but passes from the wire 11 through spring 17, contact .24 to wire 54, and thence direct to wire 52. The return circuit from all of the loud speaking receivers 1, 2,. 3

and 4 has thus been completed as far as the wire 52. From the point 55 where the wire 52 connects. with the wire 54, the wire 52 continues through each of the switches or keys in series by means of the contact 23 22 respectively. The spring 22 connects with the wire 56 which leadsdirectly to the secondary coil 46. I 4

If now Mr. Jones is in the lobby .and

hears his name called he faces toward the 'pagingapparatus and says :Mr. Jones is in the lobby. Thereupon the central operator throws the key or switch .15 corresponding to thelobby so .as to ;throw :the springs of the key 15 downward. This operation opens the circuit of all of the receivers 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the connection be tween the contact 23 and the spring 22 in the key. ,15, but anew circuit is established vfor the receiver 3- eorresponding to the lobby through the spring 17, Contact 25 and wire 57 \VlllClLlS connected to the 'wire 56 near the'secondary 46.

65 trolled by the hook 42 and that 48 ,leads to 'It .willbeobvious-that there arecertain essee"! places in a hotel where gentlemen are not to be expected but where ladies may be properly paged, such as the ladies parlor or rest room, and also that ladies are not to be expected in the barber shop and the bar. Consequently, in calling Mr. Jones the operator would first have thrown the lever of the switch 33 down or toward the posi tion marked G, whereupon it will be seen that the circuit of the loud speaking receiver corresponding to the switch 16, which is marked Ladies will be opened be cause the circuit leading through the wire 53 from the spring l7 and'contaet 24 will be opened at the spring 38. In a similar manner, it a ladys name is being paged, by throwing the handle 34 to the upward or to the'position marked L, the circuit of the receivers 1 and 2 which have previously been placed to the wire 51 will be broken at the spring 39. However, it will be seen that the receivers for such places as the lobby where both ladies and gentlemen may be expected, may be connected through the wire 54 direct with the wire 52 so as to avoid the switch 33 and consequently will notbe affected thereby in whichever direction it is thrown. When a person replies to central these switches being all in the full line position, the transmitters 5, 6, 7 and 8 are connected in series, and the circuit leads from the source of current 48, through the hook 42, the spring contact 48 and primary coil 49 to the Wire 59 which connects with. the wire 59. The wire 59 leads to the contact 26 in the key 13 which is normally in contact with the spring 19, and from spring 19 the circuit leads through wire 18- to transmitter 5, the other side of the transmitter 5 being connected to wire 20 which connects in turn with spring 21, the latter being normally in contact with thecontact 28 of the key 13. This contact 28 is connected with a wire 59 as a continuation of the wire circuit 59 and leads direct to the contact 26 of the key 14 so that the circuit is traced, in a manner similar to that just described, through wires 59* and 59 and each of the transmitters 5, 6 and 7 and the keys 13,14 and 15 until the transmitter 28 is reached which has its wire 20 in electrical communication with the contact 28 in the key 16. The contact 28 of the key 16 is connected direct to the wire which leads to the source of current 43 on the opposite side thereof from the hook 42. Thus it will be seen that when the keys are in the position shown in full lines, a tral operator from any one of the stations throughout the building, and it will be understood that I have so designed the resistance of the transmitters 5, 6. 7 and 8 that satisfactory conversation may be had with transmitters are in any room of central. when all of the in series by a person who is -ber 29 connects with wire person may reply to the centhe hotel who will merely look directly to ward the transmitter and speak in an ordinary tone of voice. It will be further understood that I prefer to place the transmitters within the horns of the receivers 1,

2, 3 and 4 so as to'form a combined speaking and transmitting unit of remarkable scnsitiveness, the details of which, however, are not shown in this application, and the transmitters the diagram separately for convenience of illustration. The details of my combined transmitting and receiving unit are described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,201,060, granted to me on October 10, 1916.

If new we assume that the person being paged has replied to the call so that cen tral knows in which room he is located, and if we suppose that the person called is in the barber shop, then central throws the handle 31 of key 13, which is labeled Barber, in to the position shown in dotted lines. whereupon it will be seen that the circuits of the transmitters 6, 7 and 8 will be broken at points of contact between the contact member 26 and the spring 19 but that a new circuit will be provided for the transmitter 5 in which it only will be included. This will pass from the Wire 58 through the resistance 61, to the wire 63, and from thence through -wire 64 to contact 27 in key 13, thence through spring 19 and wire 18 to transmitter 5. On the other side, the transmitter 5 is connected to the wire 20 which leads through the spring 21 which is now in contact with the contact member 29 of the key 13, and contact memwhich leads to the wire 60. A the wires 58 and 60 are connected to opposite polcs of the current source and wire has connections whereby voice currents may be received at the central station. lit will be noted, moreover, that each of the transmitters 6, 7 and 8 is provided with wires 64", 64 and 64 corresponding to wire 64 just mentioned, and also with wires 65, 65 and 65 corresponding to the wire 65. It will be noted, however, that the wire 65 may be made very short since the wire 60 leads direct to the contact 28 in the last key of the series which is key 16 in this instance.

It will be understood that while T have shown and described a pivoted lever for the purpose of operating the keys, any suitable means might be used and there is on the market a cabinet provided with a push button which might be used for the installation of my keys and the push button nsed instead of the levers 31.

Tn addition to the advantages previously pointed out, I wish to call particular attention to the simplicity of the circuits at the central station, there being only two conand receivers are indicated on s previously described, I

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tact members such as if) and 4:8 necessary to be controlled by the hook 42.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, various changes and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. and that parts of my invention may be used without utilizing the whole.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. In a telephonic paging system in combination, a central station comprising a telephonic transmitter and receiver, a plurality of announcing stations comprising loud speaking receivers and sensitive transmitters, said receivers being normally in parallel with each other and said transmitters being normally in series with each ot her,-means whereby telephonic communication is established between said central station and said announcing stations, and means situated at said central station whereby communication may be interrupted with all of said announcing stations except the one or more desired.

2. ,ln av telephonic paging system in combination. a central station comprising a telephonic transmitter and receiver, a plurality of announcing stations each comprising loud speaking receivers and sensitivetransmitters, said receivers being in parallel with each other and said transmitters being normally in series with each other, means for establishing simultaneous telephonic communication between said central station and said announcing stations, means situated at said central station whereby communication may be interrupted between it and certain selected announcing stations without disturbing the connections of the remaining an nouncing stations.

3. in a telephonic paging system, in combination, a. central station comprising a telephonic lransmitter and receiver, a plurality of announcing stations each comprising loud speaking receivers and sensitive transmitters, said receivers being in parallel with each other and said transmitters being normally in series with each other, means for establishing simultaneous telephonic communication between said central station and said announcing stations, means situated at said central station whereby communication may be interrupted between it and certain selected announcing stations without disturbing the connections of the remaining announcing stations, and means situated at said central station whereby communication may be established with a certain selected announcing station and communication with the remaining announcing stations simultancously interrupted.

4. in a telephonic paging system in combinatioina central station comprising telephonic transmitting and receiving apparatus, a plurality of announcing stations each comprising a loud speaking receiver and a. sensitive transmitter, said receivers being connected in parallelwith each other and said transmitters being connected in series with each other, means for establishing simultaneous telephonic communication between said central station and said announcing stations comprising a wire to which one side of said receivers is connected, and switches, one for each announcing station having four springs two of which are connected to opposite sides of the transmitter the third one of which is connected to one side of the receivers and the remaining one of which is connected in series with the like springs in the other switches and with the receivers, wherebv said receiver circuit may be interrupted at any of said switches, said switches being provided with means for reestablishing the circuit of the receiver and transmitter of the station to which it corresponds.

5. In a telephonic paging system, a central station equipped with a transmitter and receiver thereat, combined with a plurality of distant stations each having a sensitive transmitter and a loud-talking receiver thereat, telephonic connections from said central station to each of said distant stations comprising two looped talking circuits in permanently closed connection respec tively with the transmitter and receiver instruments at each of the distant stations one of said circuits from the central transmitter to the distant receiver and return and one from the central receiver to the distant transmitter and return, a source of electric energy for said circuits, and means located wholly at said central station for controlling the circuits between said source of electric energy and said central station and said distant stations whereby said talking circuits with any distant station may be maintained inor thrown out of operative connection solely under the control of the operator at said central station.

6. In a telephonic paging system in combination, a central station, a transmitter and receiver at said central station, a plurality of distant stations each having a distant transmitter and a loud talking distant receiver thereat adapted to act as an announcer and calling device for said distant station, telephonic connections from said central station to .each of said distant stations comprising two talking circuits normally closed respectively through the receiver andtransmitter of the distant station, one of said circuits from the central transmitter to the distant receiver and one from the central receiver to the distant transmitter of each distant station, said talking circuits being arranged so as not to interfere with one another, and means located wholly at said central station for controlling the telephonic connections between said central station and said distant stations whereby any or all said talking circuits may be thrown in or out of op eration solely by an operator at said central station, a source of electric energy, and a separate 'switch at the central station for putting the source of energy into or out of operative relation with the plurality of circuits leading to the distant stations.

7. In a telephonic paging system, the combination of a central station having a single transmitter and a single receiver thereat,

with a plurality of distant stations each hav ing a sensitive transmitter and a loud-talking receiver thereat, a plurality of separate circuits beginning and ending at the central station and continuous between said'beginning and ending and respectively extending in pairs to the distant stations and the circuits of said pairs respectively including in permanent electrical connection the sensitive transmitter and loud-talking receiver thereat, a source of electrical energy, common switch devices at the central station for putting the single transmitter thereat and the transmitters at the distant stations into and out of circuit, separate switch devices for putting the single transmitter of the central station into or out of talking communication with the receivers of the respective distant stations, and the receiver of the central station into talking relation with each of the sensitive transmitters at the said re spective distant stations.

8. In a telephonic paging system, the cornbination of a central station having a single transmitter and a single receiver thereat, with a plurality of distant stations each having a sensitive transmitter and a loud-talking receiver thereat, a plurality of separate circuits beginning and ending at the central station and continuous between said be inning and ending and respectively exten ing in pairs to the distant stations and the circuits of said pairs respectively including in permanent electrical connection the sensitive transmitter and loud-talkingreceiver thereat, a source of electrical energy, common switch devices at the central station for put ting the single transmitter thereat and the transmitters at the distant stations into and out of circuit, separate switch devices for putting the single transmitter of the central station into or out of talking communication with the receivers of the res ective distant stations and the receiver of t e central station into talking relation with each of the sensitive transmitters at the said respective distant stations, said last mentioned switch devices arranged for cutting in or out of circuit with said central transmitter any one or more of the receivers of the distant stations.

9. In a telephonic paging system, a central station having telephonic transmitting and receiving instruments, in combination with a source of electric energy, a plurality of distant stations each having a sensitive transmitter and a loud-talking receiver thereat,-two unbroken looped circuits from the central station to the distant stations and each of said unbroken circuits respectively including a transmitter and a receiver, switch connections for coupling each of the unbroken looped circuits into operative re lation with the transmitter and receiver of the central station whereby the operator may simultaneously talk over all of the instruments at the distant stations or restrict his conversation to any one or more of the stations at will, and additional switch devices for controlling the source of electric energy to put it into or out of operation with the instruments at the central station, said source of energy having no connection with the distant stations except through and under the control of the switches at the central station.

1Q. In a telephonic paging system, a central station equipped with a transmitter and receiver thereat combined with a plurality of distant stations each having a sensitive transmitter and a loudtalking receiver thereat, telephonic connections from said central station to each of said distant stations for putting the transmitter and receiver of the central station into communication with therespective distant stations and vice versa, a source of electrical energy, means located wholly at said central station for controlling the operation of the system and consisting of switch devicesfor putting the source of electrical energy into and out of circuit simultaneously with the transmitters both at the central station and distant stations, also switch devices for cutting out of circuit all of the distant stations except any one thereof at one time, and switch devices for' removing certain portions of the distant stations out of control by the last mentioned switches, whereby the central station operatormay talk simultaneously to all of the distant stations, a plurality less than all of them, or to each station alone at one time.

a '11. A loud-speaking telephone system, comprising a central station having a transmitter and a receiver thereat, a plurality of a sensitive transmitters and loud-speaking re- .ceivers arranged in pairs respectively at a plurality of distant stations, a plurality of continuous circuits from the central station the source of current and the connected primaries with the transmitter at the central station and with the circuits leading to and including the transmitters at the distant stations, the secondary coils of the induction coils connected respectively with the receiver at the central station and'the plurality of circuits leading to and including the transmitters at the distant stations, and

10 switch devices located Wholly at the central station for putting the transmitter and re ceiver thereat into talking communication With one or more of the distant'stations at any one time;

In'testimony whereof I aflix'mysignature 15 in presence of two 'WltDQSSBSQ- NATHAN A. KURMAN; Witnesses R. Conn, FRANK H. CARTER. 

